Tube evacuator



June 3, 1930.

E. S. GRIGSBY TUBE EVACUATOR Filed Aug. 15, 1928 f INDVENTOR 15 12 ES.Grg'sby BY Q .DJAAIL ATTORNEY Patented June eao S. GBIGSBY, F LODI,cumonnn 'ruBn nvncuaron Application filed. August 13, 1928. Serial Ho.299,284.

This invention relates to devices for dispensing the contents offlexible tubes, especially those in which tooth paste, shaving cream,and similar plastic materials are marketed. The principal object providemanently mounted as long as it retams any of its contents, and meansmounted in connection with the casing for enabling a squeezingpre ssureto be easily exerted against the tube at any point ofits length and forthe full width thereof so that the contents .will be evacuated from themouth of the tube. By

means of this device thetube is always ina certain definite locationwhen wanted and the contents may be dispensed without the manual anduncertain squeezing of the tube as is now commonly done.

A further ob'ect of the invention is to provi'de a device '0 thischaracter so constructed as to work equally well with tubes of differentdiameters and lengths within, of course, certain limitations.

of my invention is to duce a simple and inexpensive device and yet onewhich will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it isdesigned.

These objects I accomplish by'means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as willfully appear by a perusal of the Fig. 3 is across section of the device showin a full tube in place. I

.4 is a 'lar view showing the tube partly emptied.

a casing in WlllCh the tube is per- V the bottom of the same. A furtherobject of the invention is to pro- Referring now more particularly tothe r characters of reference on the drawings, the

numeral 1 denotes a rectangularcasing which 7 V is open on the front andprovided with 'top and bottom ears 2 at-the back for the reception ofscrews to hold the casing against a wall or other supporting surface ina vertical position;

' The dimensions of the casing are-such as to enable it to receive antube 3 within the I range of the-usual stan ard sizes in which theparticular products previously mentioned are put out. The bottom of thecasing is provided with a centrally disposed opening 4 to receive theneck or mouth 5 ofthe tube therethrough. Above the tube the sides of thecasing are provided with horizontal slots. 6 in which a pin 7 isslidable and turnable. Fas-I tened on this pin and depending therefromis a strip 8 of spring steel havingconsiderable o5 flexibllitylongitudinally but rigid transversely. The strip is at'least as wide asthe tube and depends lengthwise of the casing to about Hinged on top ofthe casing is a lid 9 extending means 10 between the casing and the sidev flanges of thelid at the lower end thereof.

This lid has a longitudinal slot 11 of lesser width than the strip 8 butof siiiiicient width to readily accommodate a finger of the operator.When the tube is in place and-t e lid is closed thereon, the side edgesof the stri will be concealed, the tube will be invisib e and the devicewill present an extremely neat and attractive appearance. v

In operation it is only necessa for the operator to press the strip 8inwar l which will exert a pressure a inst the tube for the full widththereof an cause the contents to be discharged from. the mouthprojecting below the casing. The stri being rigid transversely and aswide as t e tube insures that the latter will be 'flattenedsimultaneously over its entire width so that no pockets'are I.

own the open 70 front of the casing, there being friction catchevacuated. If, then, the strip is manipulated so as to first flatten thetube at its upper end "and the finger pressure is' exerted so as togradually cause such ressure to work down the entire length of t e tube,it will be seen that the entire contents of the tube will be evacuatedwithout any waste. 7

Owing to the use of the slot and pin arrangement to which the springstrip is attached, the latter is permanently mounted in place while itcanbe easily raised to enable a tube to be inserted or removed, and mayalso be pressed freely toward the back of the casing as the adjacent endof the tube becomes flattened without bending or straining the stripatits fastened end. The use of the slotted lid besides giving the devicea neat appearance prevents the lower end of the strip from movingoutwardly of the casing when pressure is exerted on the strip above.

such end, as indicated in Fig. 4.

If desired or found necessary, a slidable cap or cover 12 supported byguides 13 .mounted on the bottom of the casing, may

, be provided to normally close the open mouth of the tube. A dependingfinger piece 14 enables this. cover to be readily moved to or from itsmouthelosing' osition.

From the foregoing escription it will be readily seen that I havelproduced such a .de-

vice as substantially s the objects of the invention as set forthherein. I

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the (knee, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a depa from the spirit of theinvention, as defined by the appended claims.

- Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is: '1 A tube evacuator includinganopenfront casing to support a tube, a flexible presser strip disposedin the casingin front of the v tube, atransverse pin on oneend of thestrip,

the sides of the casin adj adent one end having horizontal slots mtowhich the ends of the pin project.

2. A tube evacuator including an openfront casing to supporta tube, andhaving an in one end for the projection of the o neck of the tube, aflexible strip disposed in front of the tube, and connection meansbetween the strip and casing at the end thereof opposite to theneck-opemng; the free end of the strip being vertically spaced from thecorresponding end of the casing a suflicient distance to enable said,end being pressed inwardly just beyond the portion of the tube adjacentthe neck. Y

3. A tube evacuator including an openfront casing to support a tube, andhaving an opening in one end for the projection of the necko the tube, aflexible strip disposed in

